ARC Review: Ever the Hunted (Clash of Kingdoms #1) by Erin Summerill

The blurb as seen on Goodreads:
Release Date: December 27, 2016
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
400 Pages

The first in a duology, Ever the Hunted is a romantic, page-turning fantasy debut that will appeal to readers of Sarah Maas and Rae Carson about the outcast daughter of a bounty hunter who must track her father's killer in a world of mad kings, warring kingdoms, and dangerous magic.

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Well, this book was a pleasant surprise. I'm going to try to give a brief little summary without spoiling anything - almost any bit of detail is a spoiler in this case.

Following the death of her father, Britta gets captured by the King's guard after poaching on his land. In exchange for keeping her house and freedom, Britta makes a deal to track down her father's killer and bring him back to answer for his crimes. The problem with this is her childhood best friend, Cohen, is being charged with the crime. Knowing that she's basically exchanging his life for hers, she sets out with three of the King's guard on a trek across the kingdom to find Cohen. Running parallel to this story is the fact that there are two kingdoms on the verge of war - one houses magical users, the other forbids the use of magic. Both plots stand on their own but weave together at the end that just makes me excited to read the conclusion.

Britta wasn't exceptional. The story not entirely unique. But the way the author told it made it enjoyable for me. There were even parts that I thought I had figured out but then was pleasantly shocked at the reveal. I loved Cohen's horse - talk about sass, Siron definitely had it and I loved it. I can't wait to learn more about side characters that I found intriguing and hope that Summerill expands on them in the follow-up.

And also, there was no insta-love! The love story that exists, exists because of a history between the two characters. It's believable especially with the flashbacks interwoven throughout.  If you're a fan of fantasy and magic, I think you would really enjoy this one.

And look how shiny the cover is!

 I received an e-copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

ARC Review: The Outside (The Hallowed Ones #2) by Laura Bickle

The blurb as seen on Goodreads:

Release Date: September 3, 2013
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
320 Pages

One girl. One road. One chance to save what remains…

After a plague of vampires is unleashed in the world, Katie is kicked out of her Amish community for her refusal to adhere to the new rules of survival. Now in exile, she enters an outside world of unspeakable violence with only her two “English” friends and a horse by her side. Together they seek answers and other survivors—but each sunset brings the threat of vampire attack, and each sunrise the threat of starvation.

And yet through this darkness come the shining ones: luminescent men and women with the power to deflect vampires and survive the night. But can these new people be trusted, and are they even people at all?

In this edge-of-your-seat thriller, it’s up to one Amish girl to save her family, her community, and the boy she loves . . . but what will she be asked to leave behind in return?

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While The Outside didn't quite live up to its prequel, The Hallowed Ones, it isn't a stretch to say that Laura Bickle is one amazing storyteller. That's also not to say that I didn't enjoy The Outside. It's a fantastic novel, for sure. The author has taken a leap and given a classic story a phenomenal twist. I never expected to like this series as much as I have. This book, this series really, is a horror fan's dream with its suspense, action and originality.

Katie is no longer protected by the safety of her Amish home. She's been banned for trying to help an outsider as the world around their tiny community was crumbling after a vampire plague. Now she's fighting the darkness of the outside with only her dear Alex, their friend, Ginger and her trusted horse. When all seems to be lost, they come across a miracle that might just save them all--if they can get people to believe in the unknown.

These character. Golly gee. I just love them. I adore their strength and loyalty and how hard they love. I also like that Katie is honest with herself. She admits that she would've followed the path of her people had the apocalypse not occurred. She doesn't delusion herself with false truths. And Alex? I swoon so hard for the smart guys. He is so good for Katie, even if they have their struggles. I even liked the minor characters.

This book is just so dang good. The plot isn't fast-paced, but it isn't so slow that you can't enjoy the story. There is so much packed into three-hundred pages, but it fits together wonderfully. Nothing felt like too much or too little. Readers will feel so much over the expanse of The Outside. Bickle makes us fear the unknown, teaches us to cherish those we care about and love them even when they are gone. I found this novel to be surprisingly emotional, and I loved every minute of it.

I love the way this novel ended. Not everything is perfect, but the characters have moved forward and are finding a way to live. I'm so impressed by this series, and I'm sad that there won't be more, but Laura Bickle has definitely become an author to watch for me. I can't wait to see what she comes up with next!

I received an e-copy of this novel from the publisher for my honest opinion and review via Netgalley.

Blog Tour: Giveaway & Review: Stained by Cheryl Rainfield

I am so happy today to join JKSCommunications on their blog tour for Cheryl Rainfield's latest novel, Stained. You can see more information about the tour, and check out the other blogs participating HERE.

Stained by Cheryl Rainfield

The blurb as seen on Goodreads:
Release Date: October 1, 2013
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
304 Pages

An intensely powerful account of a teen, bullied for her port-wine stain, who must summon her personal strength to survive abduction and horrific abuse at the hands of a deranged killer.

Sixteen-year-old Sarah Meadows longs for "normal." Born with a port wine stain covering half her face, all her life she's been plagued by stares, giggles, bullying, and disgust. But when she's abducted on the way home from school, Sarah is forced to uncover the courage she never knew she had, become a hero rather than a victim, and learn to look beyond her face to find the beauty and strength she has inside. It's that-or succumb to a killer.

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Leave a comment on this post for the chance to win an e-copy of Cheryl's book, Hunted. 

You can see my review of Hunted HERE.

I have only read one other Cheryl Rainfield novel, but I very much enjoyed it. So when I found out that she was releasing Stained this fall and it was going to be a "tough subject" novel, I was all in. More often than not, books with controversial, graphic subjects are able to hook me in and really make me look at the world differently--not always in a bad way, even when the books are gritty, and make me cry like a baby. That's why I was so looking forward to Stained, it's really just my kind of book. I'm glad to say that now that I've finished the book, I still believe this to be true.

Sarah was born with a port wine that covered most of her face. Her entire life has been filled with bullying, ignorance and pain due to her appearance. Just when she thinks her life could turn around, Sarah is kidnapped on her way home from school and forced into isolation, where she is raped, starved and mentally tortured. Stained follows a young girl's suffering in captivity and also gives us a glimpse into the life of the boy back home who loves her just the way she is.

Reading through the horrors that Sarah goes through during the course of this novel is harrowing. It's difficult not to feel something for Sarah has she suffers repeatedly at the hands of her abuser. She endures much in a mere three-hundred pages, and it will leave a lasting mark on anyone who follows her journey. This is a tough-subject, and though I don't think the author always hit the nail on the head, Rainfield did a good job at making Stained more than just a story.

I'm lucky when I say that I have never been abused, in any manner, therefore I found some things difficult to reconcile with. From knowing myself and thinking about how I would've handled Sarah's situation, it was difficult for me to understand the motive behind some of her thoughts and actions. There were scenes that didn't make sense to me especially some of Sarah's behavior towards the end of the novel, and the way her parents treated her. I didn't think that they were completely realistic, so that took a bit away from the experience.

I liked Sarah, but I didn't love her. Her voice was pretty immature, and I didn't like her focus on romance when she was in captivity. I felt disconnected from her for most of the novel, because I couldn't get into the same mindset. Sarah's growth through the novel is pretty well done. It doesn't seem like she changes very much through the story, but things that bothered me about her in the beginning all but disappeared by the end of the novel. I liked the more minor of characters as well--Nick especially. I love that Sarah's loved ones never gave up on finding her. They had some really great qualities, albeit there were definitely some times where it didn't feel completely realistic. There was just something about Sarah's time locked up didn't quite feel as dangerous as it should've. I couldn't take it as seriously because of some of Sarah's repetitive, childish monologue.

Through all of the negatives, I really loved this story. It was an interesting take on a dark theme, with a twist that I hadn't read before (the port wine birth mark, I mean). I finished it in one sitting. The plot moved steadily, though at times there was some repetition. I think Rainfield has a lot of talent. She wrote a story that even with some flaws, I couldn't help but enjoy. The author did an excellent job of grabbing the reader's attention right from the very beginning and not releasing them until the last sentence on the last page. Reading Stained in a mere two hours was not what I had planned for the night, but once I started, I couldn't find it in me to put the book down. It was almost like an addiction. Cheryl Rainfield is an excellent storyteller and I look forward to reading more of her work!

I received an e-copy of this novel from the publisher for my honest opinion and review via Netgalley.

ARC Review: Dark Triumph (His Fair Assassin #2) by Robin LaFevers

The blurb as seen on Goodreads:

Release Date: April 2, 2013
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children
385 Pages

Sybella's duty as Death's assassin in 15th-century France forces her return home to the personal hell that she had finally escaped. Love and romance, history and magic, vengeance and salvation converge in this thrilling sequel to Grave Mercy.

Sybella arrives at the convent’s doorstep half mad with grief and despair. Those that serve Death are only too happy to offer her refuge—but at a price. The convent views Sybella, naturally skilled in the arts of both death and seduction, as one of their most dangerous weapons. But those assassin's skills are little comfort when the convent returns her to a life that nearly drove her mad. And while Sybella is a weapon of justice wrought by the god of Death himself, He must give her a reason to live. When she discovers an unexpected ally imprisoned in the dungeons, will a daughter of Death find something other than vengeance to live for?

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Last year when I read Grave Mercy, I was absolutely blown away. An action-packed historical for young adults, where the protagonist was female and an assassin nun? There was no way it could be anything but amazing. Of course, when the opportunity to read the sequel, Dark Triumph, was given to me, I jumped at the chance. I was just as enthralled by the second installment as I was the first. In fact, I may have loved Sybella's story even more. It was even darker than it predecessor and just as captivating, if not more so. Sybella's history was extremely depressing and would soften even the coldest heart. She suffered so much in her young life, that through the entirety of the story, all I hoped for was a happy ending.

Dark Triumph begins a bit before the end of Grave Mercy, Sybella is spying on the household of her sadistic father for the covenant. She is waiting for the day that she can kill the man who destroyed her and drove her to the brink of madness. Sybella may have been trained to be a skilled assassin, but dealing with the cruelty and vileness of the man who raised her is beyond her. She finds herself a saving grace half-dead in the dungeons. With the help of this unexpected ally, Sybella will begin to find peace with her past and look for a better future.

While I found the writing to be a bit dense, it fit perfectly with the characters, the plot and the historical setting. The language was gorgeous and descriptive. LaFevers is excellent at world-building and characterizations. Her characters, especially Sybella, were raw and felt emotions that many of us feel every day. Unlike what I've seen in many books, the emotional aspects were not downplayed, nor were they overplayed. The author gives each character their own personality and they reacted and grew based on who they were from the very beginning. It was so wonderful to read.

The pacing of the novel was pretty good. There were some parts that I struggled with, but some of the key scenes more than made up for it. Overall, I was deeply immersed in this story. I loved the way LaFevers handled the plot and where she led it. I never knew exactly what was going to happen next and that's always a good thing. The plot was very action-focused, though romance was a big theme, and that worked for the novel.

The romance in this one was even more enjoyable than that of the previous book. Where the relationship doesn't begin immediately, the connection that develops between the two characters is amazing to watch. It unfolds realistically as trust builds and they learn all about each other. In more ways than one, the bond that grows between these two saves them. What may be my favorite part of this romance is the male love interest is often described as ugly and scarred. It makes me smile when books show that love doesn't only fall upon beautiful people. Anyone can fall in love and Sybella's book portrays that beautifully. 

Waiting for the third book in the series is killing me. I know that the author will blow away my expectations because this is a series that just keeps getting better and better. I would recommend this series to anyone. It's phenomenal and I think anyone would reads it can find something in the story to connect to, something that will hook them and make them fall in love. So read it, you won't regret it.

I received an e-copy of this novel from the publisher for my honest opinion and review via Netgalley.